Walking in the Spiritنموونە

Becoming the citizen of another country is expensive and time consuming. People are willing to spend their time and money because they recognise the benefits of citizenship: the right to live and work in the country you have chosen, the right to vote, and the comfort of knowing that these rights are yours forever. No one is going to come and kick you out of your chosen nation.

Why would anyone go to all the trouble of becoming a citizen of a country they don’t want to live in? Of giving their allegiance to a government they are indifferent to?

Jesus has paid the cost required to redeem us from the kingdom of darkness to the heavenly kingdom of light, forever. His gift to us is the privilege of drawing near to the throne of God as his adopted children, transforming us from God’s enemies into God’s friends. Before, we served sin, a cruel master who repays us with death. Now, we can serve God, the loving king who hears our prayers and generously gives us good gifts.

One of God’s gifts to us is the Holy Spirit, the third person of God through whom the fullness of God dwells with us, to comfort, guide, and empower us. The cost has been paid for us and the privileges of heavenly citizenship are ours. The Spirit is now our constant companion. Why wouldn’t we take care about how we live? Why would we go back to our old ways?

Do you feel like a sleeper that needs to be raised from death? Let the Spirit who raised Christ from the dead stir up love for God in your heart so that today will be full of worship, when you work and when you rest, when you go out and when you come home.

Paul warns us against intoxication and encourages us to give thanks and sing praises. What kind of things dampen your love for God, or wrongly influence you in the decisions you make? What stirs up your heart in worship? Which are you choosing this week?